Anyone work with aluminum round rod?

[Dream to fly]

I have an idea for a door handle but I am not an engineer and don't want to waste a bunch of time with trial and error but the factory handle SUCKS and after buying two other ones and having the same problem I am thinking outside the box. 

Can a round rod of say 5/8 or 3/4 diameter be pressed to a thickness of 1/2 inch and still be "solid"   or does aluminum degrade in strength as it is formed?

[Hank]

Aluminum work hardens (bend it ince, it gets stiffer; bend it a second time, stiffer yet; bend it far enough or enough times, it gets so hard it breaks). Any reason it needs to be swaged instead of cut to shape? That's what milling machines are for. Cut the profile, bend to desired weird shape.

But I always thought my outside handle was steel . . . The inner handle is definitely aluminum, but wouldn't be made from 1/2" round stock.

[Dream to fly]

2 minutes ago, Hank said:

Aluminum work hardens (bend it ince, it gets stiffer; bend it a second time, stiffer yet; bend it far enough or enough times, it gets so hard it breaks). Any reason it needs to be swaged instead of cut to shape? That's what milling machines are for. Cut the profile, bend to desired weird shape.

But I always thought my outside handle was steel . . . The inner handle is definitely aluminum, but wouldn't be made from 1/2" round stock.

Its the inside handle it is cast.  I would like to make a nice machined handle that is a simple build.  (I'm guessing here)  but 1 in round stock that is drilled and pinned to fit the door release rod then a flattened rod that is curved and tig welded to that to form the handle simple easy and looks good

[Hank]

In my own limited welding experience, aluminum ain't exactly easy to weld (at least to weld nicely). It will still need machining to clean things up, somwhy not just start with bar stock (1" x 2") and machine it all?

[Dream to fly]

In my own limited welding experience, aluminum ain't exactly easy to weld (at least to weld nicely). It will still need machining to clean things up, somwhy not just start with bar stock (1" x 2") and machine it all?

Don't have a mill. But I have a tig machine


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[Hank]

Weld away! I have a small mill at home, and fancy ones at work . . . . .

[Dream to fly]

Weld away! I have a small mill at home, and fancy ones at work . . . . .

I was trying to be on the cheap side. It's a handle not a landing struts. But I see your point.

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[carusoam]

In the design stage...

consider things like bumping into it in turbulence ... or getting caught on it while entering or exiting the plane... that kind of thing...

Insulating it for winter operations...

My M20C handle for a while was a steel Allen key... doubled as a radio remover....

Replacing the door plastic took longer than expected.

Best regards,

-a-

[RLCarter]

Making a handle would be time consuming with hand tools, 5-axis CNC would make it easier but a lot of waste, honestly cast is the way to go (pour and drill 2 holes). 

[Hank]

34 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Making a handle would be time consuming with hand tools, 5-axis CNC would make it easier but a lot of waste, honestly cast is the way to go (pour and drill 2 holes). 

Few people have mills at home. Even fewer have the ability to melt aluminum for casting (>1200°F).

[RLCarter]

12 minutes ago, Hank said:

Few people have mills at home. Even fewer have the ability to melt aluminum for casting (>1200°F).

True but a small foundry can be cobbled together for less than 100 bucks

 

[DonMuncy]

I thought everybody had a mill and a lathe.

[RLCarter]

13 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

I thought everybody had a mill and a lathe.

Right?..... Well my CNC mill is in a buddies man cave but I have a clicker to get to it when I need to

[DonMuncy]

1 minute ago, RLCarter said:

Right?..... Well my CNC mill is in a buddies man cave but I have a clicker to get to it when I need to

Smart aleck. Mine is not CNC.

[RLCarter]

7 minutes ago, DonMuncy said:

Smart aleck. Mine is not CNC.

lol, 80% of the time it's quicker to use it manually. Oh, it doesn't have a tool changer

[N201MKTurbo]

What is wrong with the factory handle?

On my old F the plastic was falling off, so I took all the plastic off and polished the handle. It looked great. I replaced the roll pin with a clevis pin and cotter pin like on the trim tubes and it never gave me any more trouble.

[yvesg]

6 hours ago, David Herman said:

Service Instruction M20-39 

http://www.mooney.com/en/si/M20-39.pdf

Anyone knows how much is that kit?

Yves

[Dream to fly]

What is wrong with the factory handle?
On my old F the plastic was falling off, so I took all the plastic off and polished the handle. It looked great. I replaced the roll pin with a clevis pin and cotter pin like on the trim tubes and it never gave me any more trouble.

The casting cracked

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[1964-M20E]

7 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

I thought everybody had a mill and a lathe.

If you own a 40 year old plane and don't have these tools you are hurting yourself.   Don't forget at least 2 different types of electric welders and a gas rig as well.

I spent half a day a few years ago making a part for something that I could have went out and bought the entire thing I was fixing new for less money than the cost of my time but it was the principle of it.

I have been using my mill and lathe a lot lately for non aviation projects.

[1964-M20E]

1 minute ago, Dream to fly said:

The casting cracked

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so do you really want to make a new one (better mouse trap) or be happy with a replacement and move on?

I'm sure there are plenty of originals to be had for cheap.

 

 

[Dream to fly]

If you own a 40 year old plane and don't have these tools you are hurting yourself.   Don't forget at least 2 different types of electric welders and a gas rig as well.
I spent half a day a few years ago making a part for something that I could have went out and bought the entire thing I was fixing new for less money than the cost of my time but it was the principle of it.
I have been using my mill and lathe a lot lately for non aviation projects.

I think you guys are going to get me in trouble. I've been trying to buy a combo unit for a while but the plane keeps dipping into that fund. Might have to dip into the wife's vacation fund and say the other pilots made me do it. Thats gotta fly

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[Dream to fly]

so do you really want to make a new one (better mouse trap) or be happy with a replacement and move on?
I'm sure there are plenty of originals to be had for cheap.
 
 

The right answer is probably buy another one and move one. The better answer is prove a better design get more "needed" tools and go nuts.

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[N201MKTurbo]

CB way to cast aluminum.

Get an insulating fire brick and carve a void the shape of the part you need. 

Turn your TIG machine up high. Hook the ground to a heavy aluminum bar, start the arc and feed the molten aluminum into the void.

Let it cool, bust it out, sand, drill, machine to fit.

[RLCarter]

The interior handle on mine was like most, the plastic coating was in bad shape. A serviceable unit spendy if memory serves so i stripped the plastic, inspected the casting around the mounting boss then wrapped it in leather. The hole in door plastic looked like crap so that was straightened up and I turned an escutcheon out of Delrin with an o-ring grove then split it, the two halve are held together with the o-ring and hides and keeps the roll pin from coming out

[DonMuncy]

4 hours ago, 1964-M20E said:

If you own a 40 year old plane and don't have these tools you are hurting yourself.   Don't forget at least 2 different types of electric welders and a gas rig as well.

I spent half a day a few years ago making a part for something that I could have went out and bought the entire thing I was fixing new for less money than the cost of my time but it was the principle of it.

I have been using my mill and lathe a lot lately for non aviation projects.

I have a gas rig. and an old arc unit. I am contemplating a new cheap wire welder.

Almost all my projects are not economically practical. But since my time is worth about 10 cents and hour now, I figure it is OK.